Matt Damon & Ben Affleck

Date: 2026-01-16 | Duration: 2h 24m

Episode Overview

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck join Joe Rogan together to discuss their new film, the state of Hollywood, and decades of friendship. The episode opens with an incredible story: Matt visiting a Beverly Hills dentist on a Sunday, sitting in the waiting room listening to Hunter S. Thompson curse for 15 minutes in the chair — "pig fucker" echoing from the back — before Thompson emerged, spotted Matt, called him "a fucking assassin," and handed him a sip of moonshine from a gallon jug at 10am. The conversation turns to the crisis in Hollywood risk-aversion: studios and streamers are so terrified of losing money that they refuse to greenlight anything truly original, defaulting to IP sequels and star vehicles. Ben and Matt discuss how the best sets are run when crew members feel their work matters — a detail like finding Phil Knight's original waffle iron on eBay for the Air movie becomes the difference between something believable and something that doesn't quite land. They talk about Mike Tyson — old enough to remember when his fights were "executions" where opponents' wives were crying in the crowd before a punch was thrown — Ben's son's advice to hire TikTok editors for trailers (which Ben immediately passed to the editing team), and the difference between galactic success and sustainable success. Joe tells them they're surprisingly normal and cool for movie stars, and invites them back for a few more hours. The film they're promoting gets strong praise from Joe at the close.

About Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck is an Academy Award-winning actor, writer, and producer, renowned for his versatility in both dramatic and action roles. He gained widespread acclaim for co-writing and starring in the iconic film "Good Will Hunting," alongside his longtime collaborator Matt Damon, with whom he has partnered on over a dozen successful projects. Affleck’s impressive body of work includes directing critically acclaimed films like "Argo," which won the Oscar for Best Picture, and his latest collaboration with Damon, "The Rip," set to premiere on Netflix on January 16. With a career spanning decades, Affleck captivates audiences not only with his talent but also with his candid reflections on the film industry and personal growth, making him a compelling guest on the Joe Rogan Experience.

About Matt Damon

Matt Damon is a celebrated Academy Award-winning actor, writer, and producer, renowned for his versatility across a myriad of genres. He gained international fame for his roles in iconic films such as "Good Will Hunting," which he co-wrote with childhood friend Ben Affleck, and the thrilling "Bourne" series. Together, Damon and Affleck have collaborated on over a dozen films, showcasing their enduring creative partnership. Their latest venture, “The Rip,” is set to premiere on Netflix on January 16, 2024, adding to their impressive repertoire. With a knack for both dramatic and action-packed performances, Damon captivates audiences and critics alike, making him a prominent figure in contemporary cinema. His appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience in episode #2440 offers a deeper look into his insights and experiences in the film industry.

Key Moments

– TikTok Editors and Modern Trailer Cutting
– Hunter S. Thompson Dental Office Story
– Hollywood Risk Aversion and the Death of Original Film
– Making Great Set Culture: Details That Make Audiences Believe
– Air Movie: Finding Phil Knight's Waffle Iron on eBay
– Mike Tyson in His Prime: Fights Were Executions
– Galactic Success vs. Sustainable Creative Work
– Friendship Between Damon and Affleck
0:00:26 – Dental Office Story: Hunter Thompson Cursing in the Chair — 'Pig Fucker'
0:01:06 – Thompson Calls Matt 'A Fucking Assassin' and Hands Him Moonshine at 10am
0:09:52 – Hollywood Won't Take Risks: Streamers Made It Worse, Not Better
0:24:59 – Great Sets: Phil Knight's Waffle Iron Found on eBay — That Extra Mile
1:04:55 – Audiences Don't Analyze Why They Don't Believe — They Just Feel It
1:24:57 – Ben's Son: Hire TikTok Editors for Trailers — Ben Immediately Told the Team
1:49:58 – Mike Tyson Prime: Fights Were Executions, Opponents' Wives Cried Before a Punch
2:24:51 – If You Obsess Over Someone Else's Life, Something's Wrong With Yours
2:25:06 – Joe: The Movie Is Fucking Awesome — You Guys Are Cool as Fuck

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:01 Joe Rogan podcast, checking out. The Joe Rogan Experience. Train by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night, all day. That's wild. I went in, because I came in from... I think I was living at the time, and I went in, and I'm sitting in the waiting room, and it was like on a Sunday, because I was like, I'm only in town for you, and Stan was like, I'll come into the office. Starting point is 00:00:26 I'm like, thank you so much. I had to have some filling or something, whatever I needed. It's kind of an emergency. So I'm sitting in the thing, and, uh, and I'm not getting called in, but the ladies just, no, no, there's not even a receptionist. And Stan comes out with a mask going to, no, the first thing I hear is, pig fucker, fucking, fucking pig fucker, and I'm like, what is happening in there? Starting point is 00:00:47 It's in the other room. And Stan comes in his max on, he goes, he goes, sorry, he goes, I'll be with you soon. He goes, I got Hunter in the chair. And he goes back, and I hear, listen to Hunter Thompson swear for like 15 minutes. I'm like, this is amazing. And then Stan goes, okay, come on back. And Hunter's kind of getting out. And he goes, oh, you're sitting down with this guy? Starting point is 00:01:06 He's a fucking assassin. And then he goes, and he's got this jug of clear fluid. And he's like, you're going to need a sip of this. And I'm like, oh, my God, this is fucking Hunter S. Thompson's moonshine. I'm like, this is fucking amazing. I'm like, I'm talking to this dude for 30 seconds and I'm getting a sip. And it was like 10 in the morning on a Sunday? Yeah. Starting point is 00:01:31 He was half way through the jug Pure like catch fire Where was this? In Beverly Hill Yeah Yeah Brentwood Yeah Brentwood Starting point is 00:01:40 Yeah Oh my God That's amazing It really was amazing It was It was and I had probably A total of seven minutes You know Starting point is 00:01:48 With him And it was like I could not have been A be...

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Frequently asked about this episode

Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #2440?

Matt Damon & Ben Affleck was the guest on JRE #2440. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #2440?

On Joe Rogan Experience #2440 with Matt Damon & Ben Affleck, topics include TikTok Editors and Modern Trailer Cutting, Hunter S. Thompson Dental Office Story, Hollywood Risk Aversion and the Death of Original Film, and Making Great Set Culture: Details That Make Audiences.

Where can I read the transcript for JRE #2440?

The full searchable transcript for Joe Rogan Experience #2440 with Matt Damon & Ben Affleck is available on this page, along with key topics and timestamps.